Top executives of the power companies hit hardest by superstorm Sandy are defending their response to power outages across eastern Pennsylvania.

Advertisement

Executives from PPL, PECO and FirstEnergy told a Senate panel Wednesday that Sandy caused more damage than Hurricane Irene and other storms that struck the state last year, leaving 1.2 million customers without power at its peak.

It took nine days to restore power, but the officials said it might have been worse if they had not heeded the lessons of 2011. They cited improved planning, better communication with customers and increased cooperation with state agencies.

Sen. Robert Tomlinson, chairman of the consumer protection committee, agreed the utilities did a great job overall. But he said they still need to improve communication with customers and local governments.